Alison Sharman Controller, BBC Daytime

Britain's Streets of Vice looks at the difficult subjects of prostitution, the sex industry and drug addiction in Britain today. The series was originally broadcast in early March 2005 and BBC Daytime Controller, Alison Sharman explains the reasons for commissioning this series.

Challenging the perceptions of daytime television has been one of my most important focuses since taking on the role of Controller BBC Daytime in January 2002.

STREETS OF VICE Sally Magnusson presents the series Sex in the City Tuesday 22 March 2005, 2305GMT, BBC One Smack Alley Tuesday 29 March 2005, 2305BST, BBC One Men for Hire Tuesday 5 April 2005, 2305BST, BBC One Behind Closed Doors Tuesday 12 April 2005, 2305BST, BBC One Sex Lives and Videotape Tuesday 19 April 2005, 2305BST, BBC One Sources of Help and Advice on issues raised in the series

Since that time, BBC Daytime has shown three series of multi award-winning The Afternoon Play, countless news specials covering everything from the Beslan school siege to Ellen McArthur and, of course, the award-winning current affairs series Britain's Secret Shame highlighting the abuse of the elderly.

Vice is a large and growing business in the UK, and while subjects such as prostitution and drug addiction have been covered by the traditional talk show, this is the first time there has been such a powerful and challenging documentary series shown on daytime television.

Hosted by the renowned journalist Sally Magnusson, this programme highlights some of the real issues on our streets today.

The films have been carefully filmed and edited to ensure they are appropriate to be transmitted during the day.

The intention of these programmes it to show some of the reality of the sex industry and of drug addiction and also the inter-relationship between them.

For instance, Home Office research suggests as many as 90% of street prostitutes also have a drug dependency

Many of those exposed to the vice business are likely to have access to daytime television. For that reason, there is also information on these webpages about how to get help and advice if you are affected by the issues raised in this series.

The links include information for instance about support groups for prostitutes as well as advice on sexual health and drug addiction.

I firmly believe it is in the public interest to address these issues and inform the public about them.

I am very proud of the documentaries - produced by a small team on a very limited budget - and I hope the audience will find this powerful series informative and thought-provoking.